Collaboration Story
by DiegoxShira
Summary: Diego finds Shira, alone and seriously injured. What will Diego do to help her? Will they end up together?
1. Info

The way this story will work is, each chapter, a new author will write it. The author writing the chapter, goes off the summery, but can change the story line as they go, not too much though.

If you would like, you can add your OC's into the story, but they CAN'T be a major part. The story has to stay mainly on DiegoxShira. And keep in mind that the authors after you, have to work with that OC as well.

If you want to write the first chapter, or have any questions, send me a PM.


	2. Chapter 1 - TimberPaw

This chapter written by TimberPaw

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The first sun beams were dancing over the new island the herd had reached the previous day, giving everything a light red touch. The herd was quite exhausted because of what they went through the day before so everyone decided to find shelter in the nearest cave they found. Thankfully this one was close to the beach and also big enough to fit all of them.

And all of them of course also includes Shira, the newest member of the herd, who was sleeping at the moment at the entrance of the cave next to Diego with some personal space between them. The sabers decided to sleep at the entrance to be able to protect the herd if someone attacked during the night. Nobody had any ideas of what animals except of the hyraxes lived on the island and how dangerous they might be.

Diego was the first one who woke up after the cave slowly started to light up because of the sun. Normally he would try to fall asleep again but today his eyes got caught on something … or to be exact, on a back of a certain white sabress who was sleeping next to him.

He had to admire that she and her fur looks incredible beautiful in the morning, even if he just saw her black striped back and her belly that was slowly moving up and down during her soft breathing.

Diego didn't know why a small smile was spreading across his face since he started to look at the sabress nor the exact reason for his smiling. Maybe because he missed the company of one of his kind after all these years with the herd or maybe it´s just because he´s happy that he finally found someone who listens to him and who he seemly can tell everything he wants. Not that Manny, for example, wouldn't do the same but Diego can´t get Shira´s listening face out of his mind during what he told her last night about the whole story of how the herd met and went through their different adventures. She was just looking into his eyes, listening to each word he would say. Now that he thinks of it, it was probably the best night he had for a long time.

Diego wasn't able to think longer about yesterday when a voice called him back to the present.

"Also already awake?", a voice asked and disturbed the silence. Diego held up his head, looking back at the other herd members who were all still sleeping quietly. It took him some time to realise that Shira must had said it. Questioning, he looked at back at the sabress who was still lying with her back to him.

"How did you know that?", Diego asked, being a bit afraid that she maybe saw how he stared at her. Maybe she thinks he´s just a weirdo who watches others during they sleep.

"Don´t know. I just had a feeling.", Shira replied calmly.

After Diego didn't answer for a while, she turned over, accidentally touching his fore paws with hers.

"I´m sorry. I-I didn't see you.", Shira quickly said and pulled her paws back to her chest, looking like she did something really embarrassing in front of him.

"No problem. Was my fault.", Diego said also very quick and returned a nervous smile which jumped over on Shira's face as well. Diego didn't know what to say and somehow he started to feel very uneasy at the moment.

"So, ahhhm, how did you sleep?", Diego asked and punched himself already in his mind for such a stupid question.

"Oh, I slept quite well, thanks." "And you?"

"Couldn't be better.", Diego answered and tried to chuckle a bit but it actually sounded more like coughing.

Again an unpleasant silence appeared, both sabers trying not to look at each other's eyes. Finally Diego couldn´t take it any longer, the silence starting to suffocate him.

"You, ahhh, wanna go for a hunt?", Diego asked a bit shyly, drawing circles on the ground with his paw.

"Sure." Shira said and was clearly happy about the offer. She also started to feel a bit uncomfortable and followed Diego out of the cave who was already waiting for her outside.

"Don't you think we should tell the others that we´re going?", Shira asked, looking back in the cave.

"We will be back soon. If we hurry they will not even notice that we were gone.", Diego replied and looked at Shira who was still facing the cave.

"Okay, then what are we waiting for?", Shira smiled at him and ran ahead, Diego following close behind her. The two sabers entered a close forest and vanished behind some bushes. Diego knew he should look out for potential pray but his mind got a bit lost, admiring Shiras agile body in front of him. Thankfully for him a part of his mind was still in reality, preventing him for bumping right into the sabress when she suddenly stopped in front of him. Shira didn't start walking again so Diego walked next to her, seeing how her view wandered through the forest. Diego followed her view but didn't see anything.

"What's up? Found something?" he asked, still not being able to see any kind of pray. After some seconds Diego gave it up and looked back at Shira who was still scanning the area.

"Is everything ok?", Diego asked a bit worried after the sabress didn't gave him an answer. Maybe she had seen other predators or something like that what would be definitely not good. Diego knows from his past that nobody likes to share hunting grounds with other predators.

After a while Shira finally shook her head and started to walk again, Diego walking up next to her and giving her a questioning look.

"Sorry, I just though I saw a deer or something like that.", Shira said, not facing Diego and keeping her view fixed in the distance. Diego wasn't sure what to think about this. For him it sounded like she was trying to hide something from him but then there´s the question why she should do this. After some brainstorming Diego decided to stay silent and not to think about it anymore. Finding something to eat is at the moment more important.

"Diego?", Shira asked after 15 minutes of jogging through the forest without any special events and slowed down her speed a bit.

"Yes?"

"I´m thirsty. I will get a drink.", Shira said and started to run in a different direction. At first Diego wondered how Shira could be able to know where they can find water on the new island nobody of them had explored before but then he noticed that he was also a bit thirsty.

"Okay, a short drink will help us to get some energy.", he said and followed Shira's direction.

"No!", Shira almost shouted what surprised Diego who stopped in his tracks immediately. Shira noticed that she must said that a bit too loud.

"Sorry, I mean it would be better if you keep on looking out for pray and I will join you later. You are a better tracker than me and I didn't hunt for a long time. If you track our pray I will not accidentally scare them away.". Shira explained.

Diego was confused. At first Shira acts like she was hiding something from him and now it looks for him like she was trying to get rid of him. This all doesn´t make sense to him. Diego really wanted to ask again if everything is ok but he doesn't want to get on her nerves too much so he just agreed to her plan.

'Maybe I´m just too suspicious about everything.', Diego thought as he stalked through the silent forest and hoped that he could use the time alone to sort his thoughts. But the silent didn't last long.

Suddenly a short scream echoed through the forest, tensing Diego's muscles immediately. He would know this voice out of thousands and knew exactly which voice this was. Diego didn't waste any more time and bolted of, running as fast as his legs would carry him.

'I knew something was wrong. Damn! Why didn't I stay with her. You are so stupid Diego!', he thought as he rushed through the trees. It didn't take him much time to reach the place where the two sabers separated from each other earlier. His gaze followed the direction Shira ran off, seeing a white furred animal not far away from him.

"Shira!", Diego shouted and reached her motionless body within a few hops, seeing her fur coated with blood.

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PM me if you want to write chapter 2


	3. Chapter 2 - MusicRocks807

Chapter 2 by MusicRocks807

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Diego's pounding heart leapt into his throat. She lay there, body curled into a semi-circle, her grey fur spattered with frightening crimson. Thankfully, closer inspection proved that her chest was indeed rising and falling, if incredibly slowly. A steady pulse was also beating beneath his paw when he set it on her neck.

"Shira, can you hear me?" he asked, leaning in to press his mouth against her ear.

She moaned lowly in response, apparently too weak to form a response.

Trying to quell the panic brewing in his chest, Diego stepped back and roared, praying that somebody - preferably Manny, though at this point he'd settle for Sid - would hear. He continued to howl for an indefinite amount of time, growing even more frantic as the minutes - or was it hours? - dragged by, until finally, a large creature covered in brown fur burst through the trees.

"Diego, what's wro-" began Manny, before he saw the fallen Shira on the ground. "What happened?"

"I don't know," he admitted, struggling to keep the fear from his voice. He still had his reputation, after all. "We split up to get a drink, and I heard her scream, then... I found her like this!"

"Is she still, you know..."

"She's alive and breathing, Manny."

"Good, good... Let's take her back to the cave and see if Ellie can help her." Manny moved to wrap his trunk around her, before stopping. "Wait, where is she injured?"

"I, uhm... I didn't check," Diego sheepishly confessed.

Groaning and rolling his eyes in exasperation, Manny bent down beside the sabretooth and began to gently inspect her. He ordered Diego to fetch him a clean leaf to clear up the blood with, and discovered a jagged slash in her side. It didn't appear to be too deep, luckily, but it was very lengthy.

Manny winced. "Ouch."

"Yeah, yeah, come on, we gotta get her back," insisted Diego, unable to conceal his nerves any longer.

"Easy, tiger." The mammoth carefully slipped his trunk around her, taking care not to aggravate the wound any further. He lifted Shira up into the air, and softly lay her down on his back, making sure he didn't jostle her. "Okay, let's go."

Diego readied himself to run, before noticing that Manny bore no intention to do so. His pack instincts quickly kicked in, reminding him that sudden movements would be bad for Shira. He cursed himself for forgetting such a simple fact and panicking, before leading his friend at a constant but speedy pace through the trees.

They made it back to the clearing in good time, though to Diego, it felt as like the trek had taken years. He was ordered by Manny to get rid of Peaches (and Louis, if he was there), since it wasn't a sight for young eyes. Diego did so, telling them to go and explore the beach with the other teens. Manny then joined Diego in the main cave area, Shira still unconscious on his back.

"Oh my gosh, what happened?" exclaimed Ellie.

"We don't know," answered Manny, crouching for Ellie to lift Shira off of him. "We were wondering if you could do anything?"

"Uhm..." Ellie tapped her trunk against her mouth. "Sid, go get some Lotus berries. Crash, Eddie, you two find us some long, clean leaves and some vines. Manny, Diego, you guys get water."

The boys immediately complied, knowing there was no arguing with Ellie's orders. As they all left, Ellie cautiously set the sabre down on the cave floor, arranging her into what was hopefully a more comfortable position. Everybody returned from their missions quickly, but they were forced out of the cave pretty soon after. Apparently, Ellie needed peace and quiet to work, and if Shira happened to wake up halfway through, a crowd of concerned faces wouldn't do much good.

Ellie carefully rinsed the cut out with water, before applying the Lotus berry juice to numb the pain. She let the juice soak in before washing it again, and tied the fresh leaves over the gash with the vines to act as a bandage. All this time, Shira remained asleep, but her breaths became more frequent and her heartbeat returned to normal.

Smiling proudly, Ellie called out, "Someone get a patch of moss in here?"

Moments later, Sid presented her with a thick, green pad of moss. She thanked him, before placing it beneath Shira's head as a pillow.

"So, is she, erm..."

"Yeah, Sid. She's fine." Ellie's tone was light and relieved.

"Awesome." Sid beamed. "So, I can send Diego in, then? He's been pacing back and forth and back and forth and back and forth-"

"Sid," she warned.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. But he's been pacing for ages. I'm starting to get worried!"

"I'm sure he's just a little freaked," Ellie assured him. "Wasn't he the one who found her like this?"

"Well, yeah..." Sid looked down, seemingly randomly... disappointed.

"Besides," he looked up at Ellie's lowered voice to see a smirk on her face and a glint in her eyes, "I think he's got a bit of a thing for her."

Sid's eyes widened in joy. "Yes! I knew it wasn't just me that saw it!"

The mammoth winked at him. "Don't go spreading stuff though, Sid. After all, we could be wrong."

They met each-other's gaze for a moment, before bursting out laughing. Sid then shouted for Diego to come in, and he was promptly bowled over by a speeding tiger.

"Where is she? Is she okay?"

Ellie chuckled. "Right here, and she's doing just fine."

Diego heaved a heavy sigh of relief. The mammoth met Sid's gaze again, gesturing with her eyes towards the exit. They both took the initiative, silently - or, as silent as Sid and a mammoth can be - slinking out of the cave and leaving the tigers alone.

Tenderly, Diego lay his head against Shira's, just listening to her breath and enjoying the sound. _You're okay_... He thought to himself, before another thought crossed his mind. _Why did you insist on splitting up_?


End file.
